Image via @LaczyNasPilka on Twitter
Earlier today we saw Michał Probierz’s Poland squad for their upcoming Nations League ties against Portugal and Croatia, with a slew of surprising inclusions and omissions. As always, let’s break it down position by position to address all of the major talking points.
Goalkeepers
In light of Wojciech Szczęsny’s impending signing for Barcelona, there was some speculation that he might be included in this squad. Evidently not the case, it still wouldn’t surprise me if we see him back in a Poland shirt before the end of the year. As it is, the goalkeeping situation is exactly the same as it was last time around, with Łukasz Skorupski and Marcin Bułka likely still battling it out to be Poland’s first-choice.
Defenders
Jakub Kiwior has actually enjoyed some time on the pitch for Arsenal since his pretty torrid first half in Glasgow earlier this month, so perhaps he will regain a starting spot in the national side. I’d certainly hope this to be the case as he still remains Poland’s best on paper. Sebastian Walukiewicz looked good when involved against Scotland and Croatia, but I’d still like to see Kamil Piątkowski get some time on the pitch in these two upcoming games.
Mateusz Skrzypczak is certainly a surprise inclusion, and if we’re honest I don’t see him getting any playing time but it will be nice that he is in and around the squad.
Midfielders
Here we reach the area with the most to talk about, so brace yourselves for some big paragraphs. Firstly, including Michael Ameyaw is a really positive choice from Probierz after having hinted at it last time around, and I would like to see how he could perform on a stage bigger than just the domestic level.
Jakub Moder’s inclusion is perhaps a little surprising, as for all his undoubted talent he is barely playing at Brighton, but then we come back to the point of who could feasibly be a better or more versatile choice for Poland’s midfield, and Moder is a great footballer on his day. Jakub Piotrowski seems to remain a staple under Probierz, even if since his great form from last season doesn’t seem to be coming through yet this term.
Now for the biggest talking points, namely the Legia Warszawa duo of Maxi Oyedele and Bartosz Kapustka. Oyedele is someone that Probierz knows from the youth teams, and he has strong potential to be a solution to the holding midfield role which still somewhat eludes whoever has been Selekcjoner for going on two years or more. Potential is great, but this is a 19 year-old who has played a grand total of 100 Ekstraklasa minutes. Again, I’m a big fan of Oyedele but there is a danger this could be too much too soon.
As for Kapustka, it’s nice to see him recalled on the off-chance he might earn a Poland cap for the first time since 2016, but I don’t see a scenario where he gets on the pitch ahead of Poland’s other options in the squad.
Omitting Bartosz Slisz and Mateusz Bogusz is also curious, especially when their form over in the MLS has been good. Clearly Probierz feels the time is right to try alternative options, but leaving out Slisz and Bogusz does feel even more odd than including Oyedele and Kapustka.
Strikers
Classifying Kacper Kozłowski as a striker is certainly an interesting choice and entirely possibly just an admin error on the graphic, but in reality I think if he does get playing time it would be as that hybrid midfield/second striker role we’ve seen Kacper Urbański play in. I wrote not long ago that Kozłowski could be a perfect back-up for Urbański, and perhaps Probierz feels similarly.
Otherwise the striker options are as you would expect, with Adam Buksa still recovering from the injury he picked up during his cameo against Scotland.
Poland will be playing Portugal on the 12th of October and Croatia on the 15th of October, both at Narodowy in Warszawa.
For more, follow @ekstraklasaexp on Twitter and @ekstraklasaexports on Instagram to know when new posts go live.
Comments